Forever
by A Fading Angel
Summary: The jewel is finally complete and Kagome makes an important decision on what to do with it. [InuKag]


**_Forever_**

****

**_By: Mitsukai04_**

_Author's Notes:_ Yeah, I have a thing for angst. But no one likes sad endings. R/R and I'll see if I continue with this story.

[3/13/04: No changes made to this fanfic. Only updating the format.]

~~~

They stood several feet from each other, both unable to look the other in the eye.

The field of cherry blossom trees they were in swayed gently with the wind.  The sakura blossoms swirled around them, creating a magical feel.

She stood with her eyes downcast upon the ground, clutching something close to her heart.  Her eyes were blurred with unshed tears as she took slow, steady breaths to calm herself.

He watched her warily, his clawed hands curled in fists, unaware of what she was planning to do.  He could smell her tears and wanted nothing more than to run to her and kiss them away.  But he stood were he was, confused as to what was about to happen.

Instead of her usual school uniform, she wore her flowery kimono… the one she would always wear to the summer festivals in his era.

The wind pushed her hair back, exposing her face and pushed his hair forwards, hiding his.

They stood that way for several minutes, but it felt like an eternity to both.

She finally let out a shaky sigh and slowly raised her eyes, but avoided looking at him.  She knew if she did, there would be no going back.

Instead, she focused her vision on what she had been clutching so close to her heart.

It was the Shikon no Tama, in it's complete form.

After two and half years of traveling with the hanyou before her, the jewel was finally complete once more.

Naraku had been defeated… Kikyo was now at peace without him having to sacrifice his life for it.  

The journey was over.

She ripped her gaze away from the tiny jewel.

Not one single fight with every demon they had encountered could compare to the fear and pain she was about to inflict on herself.

She closed her fist over the jewel once more, took in a shaky breath, and began to close the distance between them.

He watched her, his heart racing in anticipation at her nearness.

His heart also felt heavy at the sight of her in such a state.

He could only wonder what was making her so sad… everything was over 

They could be together now... couldn't they?

As she finally stood in front of him, mere inches away, her barriers cracked and she began to break down.

She clutched the front of his kimono, burying her face into it, silent tears streaming from her eyes.

He automatically placed his arms around her, placing his chin atop her head, enjoying the feel of her being so close.

And yet he waited to for her to tell him why she was so sad.

She finally steadied herself, and forced herself to look up into his eyes.

When she finally did, she fell deep into the pool of his loving golden gaze.

"Inuyasha…" she whispered, raising her free hand to cup his cheek.

He placed his hand over hers, closing his eyes at her touch.

"Kagome," he murmured.

As he opened his eyes, she tilted her head up to meet his.

Their lips meet in a chaste, sweet kiss.

Their first kiss.

He pulled her closer to him, tightening his embrace.

Her eyes slid close, tears still dripping down her cheeks.

They both wanted to stay that way for eternity.

But she knew that they couldn't.

She unwilling pulled away from the growing kiss, suddenly feeling the need to gasp for air.

He smiled gently at her, radiating his emotions through that one gesture.

She felt her heart break into another thousand pieces.

Sniffling, she placed her arms around his neck, pulling down.

She placed her cheek against his, and whispered softly, knowing that his inhuman ears would catch what she said.

"I love you."

She had finally said it.

Said what she had begun to feel for him long ago.

It was only now that she could bring herself to say it out loud.

He felt his heart began to race as he absorbed what she had just said.

She truly loved him?

He wanted to kiss her again, and hold her close, and promise her the world.

But he stood there, stunned.

And curious to know why she still felt so miserable.

She took another deep breath.

She didn't want to, but she knew she had to.

It was the right thing to do… wasn't it?

Trying to keep her resolve, she continued.

She released her hold over his neck, and interlaced her hands with his.

She reached up to kiss him once more, a move that he returned gladly.

He pulled away slightly, staring into her eyes.

"I--"

She placed a gentle finger to his lips, smiling sadly.

She knew that he loved her in return.

That was what was making this so hard.

She didn't want to leave him… so she reached to kiss him one last time.

She pulled away, watching his face.

"Be happy."

At that precise moment, it felt like his heart had stopped.

What was she saying?

What could she mean?

She couldn't be saying--

She slipped her hands out his grasp, near sobs at this point.

She closed his hand into a fist over something tiny and cool that she had slipped into his palm.

She took a few steps back and whispered the most heartbreaking words…

"Good-bye, Inuyasha."

She turned and ran.

Into the forest, towards the well, leaving him in confusion and misery.

He froze.

She had said good-bye.

He opened his closed palm and felt his gaze blur at the sight of the Jewel of Four Souls shimmering in the daylight.

She had given him the jewel.  She would never be able to come back without it.

His eyes quickly went up to look at the direction she went to.

He could go after her… stop her.

But why couldn't he move?

Instead, the hanyou fell to his knees, clutching the jewel tightly.

If he shattered it again, would it bring her back?

Would she stay with him?  Forever?

He felt his body shudder and tears began to slip from his eyes.

He threw his head back and howled at the sky.

"KAGOME!"

She was already at the well when she heard his howl of pain.

She turned, ready to run back to him.

But she stopped herself and forced her legs to sit her over the edge of the well.

She had to do this, it was the only way.

She didn't belong in this world, and he didn't belong in hers.

_Isn't true love enough?,_ her heart insisted.

She ignored its persistence and swallowed the lump in her throat, gazing behind her one last time.

"Don't forget me," she whispered.

He still kneeled in the clearing, tears still falling from his eyes.

He reached out to the direction she has gone in.

"Don't leave me," he begged.

The wind stood still as the heartbroken girl from the future jumped back into her own time for good.

The cherry blossoms no longer swirled, but now only fell onto the ground, landing on the downtrodden hanyou of the Feudal era.


End file.
